Up, Up, and… well, just Up


The Weekly WordPress Photo Challenge is Up. So, I started on Friday (when the challenge was posted) and took pictures of the sky all weekend. Here’s some of my favorites…

Here some “Up” posts from others:

  1. Weekly Photo Challenge: UP | To Mother Earth, with Love
  2. WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE: UP | Words We Women Write
  3. Weekly Challenge | From the Mild Ways
  4. Last thoughts: Up (the WordPress Weekly Photo Challenge) | The Positive Page
  5. Weekly Photo Challenge: Up | Drops of Ink
  6. Weekly Photo Challenge: Up | Pa-BLAM!
  7. Weekly Photo Challenge: Up | Life of a Minister Mom
  8. Weekly Photo Challenge: Up | mightwar
  9. Weekly Photo Challenge: UP into the SKY | Serendipity 13
  10. Weekly Photo Challenge: Up | West Coast Kayaker
  11. Weekly Photo Challenge: UP | Hoot and Annie
  12. Weekly Photo Challenge: Up « The Neophyte Photographer
  13. Weekly Photo Challenge – Up | Learning to See Light
  14. Weekly Photo Challenge–Up | A New Day Dawns
  15. A to Z Challenge: April 22nd- S is for Strasburg Virginia | The Day After
  16. Weekly Photo Challenge: Up | Filling my bag with gear
  17. Weekly Photo Challenge : Up | Maniniyot
  18. Weekly Photo Challenge: Up | Now Serving, “Dickens Party of 5”
  19. Weekly Photo Challenge: Up | Something Unspoken
  20. As I Was Going Up the Stair… | Writing Between the Lines
  21. Weekly Photo Challenge: UP | digital catharsis
  22. The World’s First Pop-Up Mall | Shop with Intent
  23. weekly photo challenge: up « I used to be indecisive…
  24. Weekly photo Challenge – Up. | The numpty with a camera and a laptop
  25. Up, down, all around the town | GeoFoodie
  26. Weekly Photo Challenge: Looking Up in York | Janaline’s world journey
  27. Weekly Photo Challenge – Up! | My thought exactly…!
  28. Weekly Photo Challenge: Up | Efrata Denny Saputra Yunus
  29. Weekly Photo Challenge: UP | The Adventures of Iñigo Boy
  30. Weekly Photo Challenge: Up | Untold Contemplation
  31. Move out of the way! I’m climbing up! – Weekly Photo Challenge | ♥ Drawing Cows in Bruges ♥
  32. uphill | Bubonicboon
  33. Weekly Photo Challenge: Up #2 | Beijing Daily Photo 2
  34. Weekly Photo Challenge : UP | Kisahku
  35. Weekly Photo Challenge: Up | Platypi Photography
  36. Tulip tip: Straight up on Earth Day | Things I love at Trader Joe’s
  37. intergalactic | yi-ching lin photography
  38. Weekly Photo Challenge: (Look) Up « The Neophyte Photographer
  39. Weekly Photo Challenge: Up | ERIN O’LEARY PHOTOGRAPHY
  40. Weekly photo challenge: UP | Blog`n`Rolla
  41. Weekly Photo Challenge: Up | I Know I’m Not Normal Because…
  42. Weekly Photo Challenge: Up | PragueByKaty
  43. Weekly Photo Challenge: Up | Here & Abroad
  44. Up “Then Down Step~by~Step” | Allyson Mellone
  45. Weekly Photo Challenge: UP (The Universe and I at Mt. Stromlo) | A drifter off to see the world
  46. Weekly Photo Challenge: Up | An Evil Nymph’s Blog
  47. Weekly Photo Challenge: Up | Just James
  48. Up! | Empire of Lights

My 100th Post: Lost…


lightThe first thing I remember is the sound of the machines.

(Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep.)

Then, a rustle and a whisper.

“Carrie, page Dr. Allen. I think Liv’s waking up. Her color is much better.”

The door closed softly.

(Click.)

I opened my eyes, and immediately scrunched them closed again against the light. I tried again, a little more slowly, and squinted.

“Hello, there. My name’s Sarah. Can you tell me your name?” I looked up at a tiny blonde in pink scrubs covered with teddy bears.

“I…” (Cough, cough.) “Sorry, I… I’m not sure.” She patted my leg.

“That’s alright. Just rest. The doctor will be here soon.” She scribbled on a clipboard (scratch, scratch), and I scanned the room and took a mental recap: I’m in a hospital. She must be a nurse and the doctor will be here soon. How is this all I know? I don’t feel hurt or ill. Why am I here? How did I get here? And, maybe most importantly, who am I?

The door opened and my heart monitor skipped a beep.

—————————-

This 180-word flash fiction piece was written for Trifecta Writing Challenge Week 73. Write 33-333 words using the third definition of the word “color”:

Happy Writing and Photo Fun,

Becca♥

P.S. This is my 100th post!! Woo Hoo!

For the Birds…


turkey-vulture hummingbird

birdYou may have noticed that the Wordsmith Studio prompt for this week is Birds.

The first one is a turkey vulture. I think they look cool cause they are big and have red heads.

The next one is a hummingbird. If you’ve ever had hummingbird feeders, you know what they sound like. Every time I hear one, I duck for cover. They sound like the loudest, biggest bee you’ve ever heard in your life. But they look awesome, with their wings flapping so fast that they can hover in place and dart around. Some of them, like the one above, also have pretty ruby throats.

The last photo was a total fluke. I was taking a picture of a squirrel stealing seed from the bird feeder (you can just see him on top of the feeder), and a grackle flew right through my line of sight. Of course, with the camera up to my face, I never saw the bird. It was a little scary when I looked back through the photos I had taken of the squirrel. 

We love birds here at my house. We have more than 15 feeders and regularly see finches, hummingbirds, doves, titmice, woodpeckers, grackles, robins, bluebirds, cardinals, blue jays, chickadees, and probably others that I just can’t think of right now. The birds are just starting to come out and I’m looking forward to watching them all summer.

Happy Writing and Photo Fun!

Becca♥

 

Color


mushrooms

For the Weekly Photo Challenge at DailyPost.WordPress.com.

Happy Writing and Photo Fun,

Becca ♥

Check out more colorful photos:

  1. Weekly Photo Challenge: Color « Life&Ink
  2. I’m a Tweaker | Beyond the Brush
  3. Weekly Photo Challenge: Color | Writing Reveries
  4. Weekly Photo Challenge: Color | The Land Slide Photography
  5. Weekly Photo Challenge: Color « Trail of Crumbs
  6. Weekly Photo Challenge:Color | My Visual Arts
  7. Weekly Photo Challenge: Color | North of Park
  8. Weekly Photo Challenge – Colour | Tvor Travels
  9. Weekly Photo Challenge: Color | Isadora Art and Photography
  10. Weekly Photo Challenge: Color | efenerr
  11. Weekly photo challenge: Color | Connie’s World
  12. 1 day in my life | the terrain of symmetry
  13. Weekly Photo Challenge: Color | Travel. Garden. Eat.
  14. Weekly Photo Challenge: Color 3 (Tulips and a little Windmill) | What’s (in) the picture?
  15. Weekly Photo Challenge: Colour | A Little British Pea …
  16. Weekly Photo Challenge: Color | Playing for Time
  17. Weekly Photo Challenge: Color | My Elegantly Cluttered Chamber
  18. :: Weekly Photo Challenge: Color | Belo Horizonte daily photo
  19. Weekly Photo Challenge: Color | Long delays possible
  20. Weekly Photo Challenge: Color – Fresh Whitewash and Silk | Humbled Pie
  21. Weekly Photo Challenge: Primary Colors | Slam on the Brakes, Pull Over, Take the Picture
  22. Weekly Photo Challenge: Color | Living the Bliss
  23. Weekly Photo Challenge: Colour | The Serenity Space
  24. Weekly Photo Challenge: Color | A Number of Things
  25. Weekly Photo Challenge: Color | cancerinmythirties
  26. Weekly Photo Challenge: Color | fingerprintwriting
  27. Weekly Photo Challenge: Color | joy cannis photography
  28. Weekly Photo Challenge: Color | Mlissabeth’s Musings
  29. Weekly Photo Challenge: Color | Researching San Diego
  30. Weekly Photo Challenge: Color | huntprayerpoems
  31. Weekly Photo Challenge: Color – Pink & Red | Private Mixture
  32. weekly photo challenge: color | my sweetpainteddreams
  33. Weekly Photo Challenge : Colour | Memories are made of this
  34. Weekly Photo Challenge: Color | acieartikulasi
  35. Weekly Photo Challenge: Color (One Image, Different Moods) | A drifter off to see the world
  36. Weekly Photo Challenge: Color | Peanut Jelly Sandwich
  37. Weekly Photo Challenge: Color | MissAdventure
  38. Weekly Photo Challenge: Colour … Red | Me ‘n’ Henry Lee
  39. Weekly Photo Challenge: The Power of COLOR | Serendipity 13
  40. Weekly Photo Challenge: Colour … Orange | Me ‘n’ Henry Lee
  41. Weekly Photo Challenge: Colour … Yellow | Me ‘n’ Henry Lee
  42. Weekly Photo Challenge: Colour … Green | Me ‘n’ Henry Lee
  43. Weekly and CBBH Photo Challenge: Color | travels with toby
  44. Weekly Photo Challenge: Colour … Blue | Me ‘n’ Henry Lee
  45. Weekly Photo Challenge: Color | Efrata Denny Saputra Yunus
  46. Weekly Photo Challenge: Colour … Indigo | Me ‘n’ Henry Lee
  47. Weekly Photo Challenge: Color | Click Fifty-Two
  48. Weekly Photo Challenge: Colour … Violet | Me ‘n’ Henry Lee
  49. Colour | Artifacts and fictions
  50. Weekly Photo Challenge: Color – Flowers, Plants, Grass | My.Vivid.Visions
  51. Weekly Photo Challenge: Color | Writing Prompts from Life
  52. Challenge Photo Hebdo – Couleurs | Paris en photographies
  53. Colourful Planet Earth – Farbige Erde | OFRADIX
  54. Weekly Photo Challenge: Color | Twisted Muses
  55. Weekly Photo Challenge: Color | Learning to See Light
  56. Weekly Photo Challenge: Colour (Orange) | Postcards from Scotland
  57. Weekly Photo Challenges: Pale Colour | Canadiantravelbugs’s Blog
  58. Weekly Photo Challenge: Color/Colour | Gobetween Flames
  59. Weekly Photo Challenge: Color | Here & Abroad
  60. Weekly Photo Challenge: Color | why so serious?
  61. Weekly Photo Challenge – Colour
  62. Weekly Photo Challenge: Color | No Fixed Plans
  63. weekly photo challenge: color (one image different moods) | blogagaini
  64. weekly photo challenge: color | bob’s wife
  65. Weekly Photo Challenge: Color | isabellamari
  66. Weekly Photo Challenge: Colour | Omnia’s World
  67. Weekly Photo Challenge: Color | SC Surf Butler
  68. Weekly Photo Challenge: Color 4 (Weather Blues) | What’s (in) the picture?
  69. Weekly Photo Challenge: Color | Learning, Running, and Creating
  70. Weekly Photo Challenge: Color of Japan’s Geisha | Janaline’s world journey
  71. Weekly Photo Challenge: Color | Last Train to QVille
  72. Weekly Photo Challenge: Color | Traveller soul
  73. Weekly Photo Challenge : Color | Lieshadie’s Blog
  74. Rainbow Coloured Highland Village | breathofgreenair
  75. tartan | yi-ching lin photography
  76. Weekly Photo Challenge: Color | The World Is a Book…
  77. Caymanian Spring Colours at the Beach | My Caymanian Life
  78. The Colors of the Rainbow – A WordPress Photo Challenge | Life in the Foothills
  79. Weekly Photo Challenge: Color | Pishikera
  80. Mother Likes them in Multicolor « Fly for Icarus
  81. First Photo Challenge: Colors | Some Silly Alien
  82. Weekly Photo Challenge: Color | A Nature Mom
  83. Rock Candy | Good2begone

One


Usually found by the hundreds, these ladybugs (or lady beetles) drive me crazy!

ladybug

The Weekly Photo Prompts over at WordsmithStudio.org were “One” last week and “Pet Peeves” this week. So I’ve kinda combined them. Enjoy!

Happy Writing and Photo Fun!

Becca♥

Sorry I haven’t posted in about a week. I was sick/icky and didn’t really feel like doing much of anything I was “supposed” to. But I’m feeling better and will probably be back to my usual two photography posts and one writing post per week.

 

Never Again


“I can’t do this anymore.” Martha wiped the tears from her cheeks. “I won’t cry my heart out, waiting for you at night, anymore.” She rolled his body into the river. “Never again.”

riverThis 33 word flash fiction story (with an idiom) was written for Trifecta: Trifextra Week 61. Check out some of the other entries and leave some comment love.

Happy Writing and Photo Fun!

Becca♥

New Cover REVEAL: A Ranger’s Tale by Mysti Parker


I’m so excited to share this with you all! I LOVED this book, and can’t wait to see the new cover! Read about this awesome book below and join in the cover reveal fun. See you there!

The world of Tallenmere was born in January, 2011 with this first exciting story about Caliphany, an elven noblewoman who longs to leave her gilded cage, and Galadin, the half-elf former pirate who trains her to do just that. To better reflect its place in the burgeoning series and Caliphany’s choice between two good men, cover artist Caroline Andrus and I tore down the original cover to make room for a whole new look!

FinalRangersCoverPreReveal
Join us for this exciting reveal party on Facebook, Friday, March 29 from 5-10 PM EST. Bring a friend, too. There do be prizes, mateys!

*$25 Amazon.com gift card

*Signed Print copy of A Ranger’s Tale

*And MORE!

CLICK HERE TO JOIN THE PARTY: https://www.facebook.com/events/103766896485420/

Blurb: 

In the world of Tallenmere, an elven noblewoman longed to leave her gilded cage. A half-breed former pirate wanted nothing more than to escape his guilty past. Easier said than done…

High elf Caliphany Aranea leads an enviable life as King Leopold’s niece and daughter of Sirius, Leogard’s most famous wizard. Yet, being forced to follow in her father’s footsteps and being betrothed to a man she doesn’t even like makes her want a taste of life outside the city walls.

As a young boy, half-elf Galadin Trudeaux witnessed his parents’ death at the hands of pirates. After being raised by those same murderers and forced to do their bidding, he escaped and now lives an honest life as a sea merchant and ranger.

When two brutes at Leogard Harbor attempt to kidnap Caliphany while she dreams of faraway lands, Galadin comes to her rescue. Impressed by his skills, she asks him to train her as a ranger. Though he is hesitant at first to train a woman of her class, Caliphany’s hefty sack of gold finally persuades him. Unfortunately, her father is not amused, and the two must escape before Caliphany faces a forced marriage and Galadin faces a noose.

From that moment on, she and Galadin embark on an adventure of a lifetime. Only if they can survive the trials ahead, will they find a love that stands the test of time.

****

You can find the brand new version of A Ranger’s Tale with its shiny new cover at these websites:

Melange Books (PDF, HTML, ePub)

Amazon.com (Kindle)

Lulu (Print)

 

…and very soon from all other major online retailers!

 

About the Author

mysti2Mysti Parker (pseudonym) is a full time wife, mother of three, and a writer. Her first novel, A Ranger’s Tale was published in January, 2011 by Melange Books, and the second in the fantasy romance series, Serenya’s Song, was published in April 2012. Book Three, Hearts in Exile, is expected to be born in the summer of 2013. Mysti reviews books for SQ Magazine, an online specfic publication, and is the proud owner of Unwritten, a blog recently voted #3 for eCollegeFinder’s Top Writing Blogs award. She resides in Buckner, KY with her husband and three children.

Mysti’s other writings have appeared in the anthologies Hearts of Tomorrow, Christmas Lites, and Christmas Lites II. Her flash fiction has appeared on the online magazine EveryDayFiction. She is currently a book reviewer for the online speculative fiction magazine SQ Mag and has served as a class mentor in Writers Village University’s six week free course, F2K.

 

The Tallenmere Series:

A Ranger’s Tale

Serenya’s Song

Hearts in Exile (coming summer 2013)

 

http://www.melange-books.com

www.mystiparker.blogspot.com

Twitter: @MystiParker

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Mysti-Parker/103786449704221

mystiparker@yahoo.com

Future Tense


When I look at these guys, I can’t help but think of the future…

kids-beach

This week’s prompt over at WordPress is: Future Tense.

Go look at what others think of the future:

  1. The Past is Prologue | Four Deer Oak
  2. Weekly Photo Challenge: Future Tense | Pictures for Froghopper
  3. 今週のお題は「未来時制」@The Daily Post | Summerfield84’s Blog
  4. Weekly Photo Challenge : Future Tense | ~Castle of Words~
  5. Weekly Photo Challenge: Future Tense | The Sacred Cave
  6. Weekly Photo Challenge: Future Tense | High Street Photo x100
  7. Ramblings of Jen : 5 Blogging Tips with My Own Decisions | Ramblings of Jen
  8. Weekly Photo Challenge – Future Tense | My thought exactly…!
  9. Transitory | Empire of Lights
  10. Weekly Photo Challenges x2 Future & Time | Canadiantravelbugs’s Blog
  11. Weekly Photo Challenge: Future Tense | Postcards from Scotland
  12. Weekly Phoneography (Photo) Challenge: FUTURE TENSE | Smart n Trendy MOM
  13. Weekly Photo Challenge: Future Tense | Jinan Daily Photo
  14. Weekly Photo Challenge: Future Tense | Notes from Africa
  15. Weekly Photo Challenge: Future Tense | Of Glass & Paper
  16. Weekly Photo Challenge: Future Tense | Olivia May Photography
  17. Weekly Photo Challenge: Future Tense (Photo Course) aka “Photographers: frame and shoot – 2nd sequel (16)” | What’s (in) the picture?
  18. Weekly Photo Challenge: Future Tense | Pics from Cell Phone Blog
  19. weekly photo challenge: future tense | bob’s wife
  20. born to die | BUBONICBOON
  21. WordPress Weekly Photo Challenge: Future tense « Jag gör världen vackrare
  22. Defiance (Weekly Photo Challenge – Future Tense) – The numpty with a camera and a laptop
  23. Weekly Photo Challenge: Future Tense | northumbrian : light
  24. Weekly Photo Challenge: Future Tense – New Life | Momdeavor
  25. A Kitchen Wish | Colline’s Blog
  26. Weekly Photo Challenge: Future Tense « Life&Ink
  27. Weekly Photo Challenge: Future Tense | onesmallpot
  28. Future tense: Spring or winter?! | Melanie Ryding – Ryding2Health BLOG
  29. WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE: FUTURE TENSE | Francine In Retirement
  30. Weekly Photo Challenge: Future Tense | blueberriejournal
  31. Weekly Photo Challenge: Future Tense (Balinese Offer) | artandkitchen
  32. Weekly Photo Challenge: Future Tense … Sailor’s Delight | Eyes to Heart
  33. What’s in the Future? – A WordPress Photo Challenge! | Life in the Foothills
  34. Weekly Photo Post: Future Tense | The Evolution of X
  35. Weekly Photo Challenge: Future Tense – Smile | The Neophyte Photographer
  36. Weekly Photo Challenge: Future Tense | En snögummas tankar om livet
  37. Weekly Photo Challenge: Future Tense « Sasieology
  38. Weekly Photo Challenge: Future Tense | Figments of a DuTchess
  39. Weekly Photo Challenge: Future Tense | Basically Beyond Basic
  40. Weekly Photo Challenge: Future Photo | 2013 Weekly Photo Challenge Blog
  41. Weekly Photo Challenge: Future Tense | A Hedonistic Wander
  42. Next Page: Siam, Here I Come! « Fly for Icarus
  43. Weekly Photo Challenge: Future Tense | Across the Bored
  44. Weekly Photo Challenge: Future Tense | ☆ MagicAperture
  45. Weekly Photo Challenge :: Future Tense | Cheryl Andrews
  46. Looking Forward | Broken Light: A Photography Collective
  47. Weekly Photo Challenge~Future Tense | Mlissabeth’s Musings
  48. Weekly Photo Challenge: Future Tense | IsobelandCat’s Blog
  49. Just Beyond #wordpress #weeklyphotochallenge #photography #poetry | Moondustwriter’s Blog
  50. bonding again | yi-ching lin photography
  51. WordPress Weekly Photo Challenge: Future Tense | Sandra Conner … By The Book
  52. Weekly Photo Challenge – Future Ride | Canoe Communications
  53. Weekly Photo Challenge: Future Tense (Winter) | What’s (in) the picture?
  54. Top Posts — WordPress.com
  55. Weekly Photo Challenge: Theme of the Week is Future Tense | My Daily Prompt Blog
  56. Weekly Photo Challenge: Future Tense | Photography Journal Blog
  57. 3-23-13 [Travel Theme: Time #2] {Weekly Photo Challenge: Future Tense} | The Quotidian Hudson
  58. Weekly Photo Challenge: Future tense | Eat, travel, photograph
  59. Weekly Iphonography Challenge – Future Tense / Letsbewild – Reflections | Travels and Trifles
  60. weekly photo challenge : future tense | bodhisattvaintraining
  61. Future Tense | IMAGES & WORDS
  62. Weekly Photo Challenge: Future Tense | Efrata Denny Saputra Yunus
  63. Weekly Photo Challenge: Future Tense | Ruth E Hendricks Photography
  64. Weekly Photo Challenge: Future Tense II | My DogaBlog
  65. Weekly Photo Challenge: Future Tense | Lonely Travelog
  66. I’m on my way home! | East of Málaga …. and more!
  67. Weekly Photo Challenge : Future Tense | Simply Me
  68. Weekly Photo Challenge: Future Tense | rarasaur
  69. Weekly Photo Challenge: Future Tense, Really Awully So! | Colonialist’s Blog
  70. Future tense… | jaycee68
  71. Weekly Photo Challenge: Future Tense | Just James
  72. Weekly Photo Challenge: Future Tense | a hectic life
  73. Weekly Photo Challenge: Future Tense | Its In The Picture – 365
  74. Japanese Ema in Tokyo Tower | Summerfield84’s English blog
  75. Carved into the Future | breathofgreenair
  76. Weekly Phoneography Challenge: Future Tense | Pilot Fish
  77. Weekly Photo Challenge: Future Tense | Last Train to QVille
  78. For Oona « Beach Treasures and Treasure Beaches
  79. Garden promise | Kerry Dwyer
  80. Weekly Photo Challenge: Future Tense | Thoughts, Dreams, and Emotions…
  81. forever | yi-ching lin photography
  82. My five best wishes – Scanography | The blog formerly known as Ink.
  83. Weekly Photo Challenge: Future Tense | fojap
  84. 3-24-13(Really 3-23-13) {Travel Theme: Time #2} [Weekly Photo Challenge: Future Tense] | The Quotidian Hudson
  85. Weekly Photo Challenge: Future Tense (2) | Last Train to QVille
  86. Future Tense – Weekly “Phone” Photo Challenge | composting words
  87. Weekly Photo Theme Future Tense | Le Drake Noir
  88. Weekly Photo Challenge: Future Tense « Pinoy Transplant In Iowa
  89. 20 Minutes in Santiago’s Mercado Central | piran café
  90. Weekly Photo Challenge: Future Tense | The Land Slide Photography
  91. Grammar Exercise: Future Tense | Empire of Lights
  92. Weekly Photo Challenge: Future Tense | The World Through My Camera Lens
  93. Facing the Future and Enjoying the Passage of Time | The Retiring Sort
  94. Weekly Photo Challenge: Future Tense | Radical Amazement
  95. Weekly Photo Challenge: Future Tense – It’s coming! | cupcaketravels
  96. Palm Sunday: Future-Tense [photo sermon] | the long way home | Prodigal Paul
  97. Future Tense | breezes at dawn
  98. Weekly Photo Challenge: Future Tense | Dharma Dawgs
  99. Weekly Photo Challenge: Future Tense | West Coast Kayaker
  100. Weekly Photo Challenge: Future Tense | The Vegan Wannabe